In an effort to assist prospective patrons, Google is introducing a questions and answers feature to Google Maps for Android.
Google’s Q&A feature is similar to those found on various travel sites. Businesses can add frequently asked questions to their Maps listing, and searchers can submit questions to which businesses can respond. Once a user-submitted question is answered, it will appear along with the other Q&As.
In order for businesses to respond to customer questions, they will need access to Google Maps for Android. Business owners will receive a push notification when a new question is submitted, allowing them to respond quickly.
If a customer asks an especially pertinent question that others can benefit from, business owners can upvote it to push it to the top of the Q&As.
Over the coming days, users will initially be able to see this feature only on their own listing. Below is a preview in the provided screenshots.
Businesses that take advantage of this feature early will be able to add Q&As before they go live for everyone to see.
Google states that Q&As will be rolled out more broadly over the next week. There is currently no information on if or when the feature will be available to iOS users.
